The SBU has exposed a Russian intelligence officer for recruiting teenagers in Odesa

A Russian intelligence officer who was recruiting teenagers to carry out sabotage and terrorist attacks has been exposed in Odesa. The minors were persuaded to set fire to military facilities and infrastructure with the promise of quick money.

This was reported by the Communications Department of the Security Service of Ukraine.

The Security Service of Ukraine announced that it had notified Russian citizen Artem Shmuly of the charges against him; investigators believe he is an employee of Russian military intelligence (GRU). According to law enforcement, he organized the recruitment of minors in Odesa to carry out sabotage and terrorist acts within the city.

Back in May 2024, SBU officers exposed four agents who attempted to set fire to two military vehicles in the regional center. During the investigation, it was established that all of them were acting on the instructions of a Russian handler.

The group consisted of Odessa residents aged 13 to 18. According to the SBU, the teenagers were recruited through Telegram channels, where they were looking for opportunities to make quick money. Promised a reward, the young people agreed to carry out tasks targeting the Ukrainian Armed Forces and critical infrastructure.

The investigation established that, on Artem Shmuly’s instructions, the group members set fire to a Ukrainian National Guard truck and a relay cabinet on a railroad track. After completing the tasks, they recorded the results on their cell phone cameras and sent video reports to their handler via messaging apps.

Before being involved in more serious crimes, the teenagers underwent a sort of “test.” Specifically, they were tasked with distributing provocative leaflets on the streets of Odesa.

During searches, law enforcement officers seized anti-Ukrainian materials and mobile phones containing evidence of the detainees’ collaboration with Russian intelligence. The actions of the recruited operatives were classified as sabotage and an attempt to commit a terrorist act under martial law.

In May, a court in Odesa handed down a verdict in a case involving acts of sabotage on the railway, in which three young people were found to be involved, including a minor girl. The defendants carried out tasks received via a messaging app and set fire to critical infrastructure facilities in exchange for monetary compensation. 

Анна Бальчінос